Friday 18 November 2011

Headmistress's Blog 18 November 2011

Dear Parents

I do hope you enjoyed a good half term break with your family. In the past two weeks, the School has been a hive of activity; pupils continue to work hard in their lessons and preparations are well underway for the High School Production and the Prep Christmas performances.

Today we held our GCSE Presentation Assembly, with Mr Martin Shaw, Chairman of Governors, in attendance to present the girls with their certificates. It is always a very proud moment to see the girls recognised publicly for all the hard work and effort they put into their examinations; the younger girls find it aspirational too. This year we also presented certificates to the girls who took their Religious Studies GCSE one year early.

The latest in our programme of Master Classes took place on the 9th November; the theme was promoting locally produced or sourced food. We welcomed Mark Paine, the master baker at Betty’s, to demonstrate different ways to produce and shape bread. Pupils from Collingham School joined our Lower 3 pupils and they had a very interesting day culminating in some very creative loaves!

Over half term I had the great pleasure of reading the draft of our book ‘Gateways to Harewood’. This has been a very exciting project, written by the pupils and is being professionally published as the culmination of over a year’s hard work. We will be launching the book on the 25th November at 2.00pm and we warmly invite parents to join us for this occasion. The well known local author, G.P. Taylor has written a story especially for the book and will read it to us as part of our assembly. We are delighted that Patricia, Countess of Harewood, will be saying a few words and then switching on the lights in one of our trees in celebration. Our thanks go to Mrs Sharrock, Mrs Stubbs and Mrs Burns for their tremendous commitment to this unique project.

Offering an opportunity to gain some useful skills, Upper 4 pupils are kindly supporting our reception staff over the lunch periods on Thursdays and Fridays.

On the 8th November, we held a taster day for pupils wishing to join the High School next September. In the lead up to the Entrance Examination in January, we welcomed 16 girls for an exciting day experiencing life at Gateways. We continue our programme of ‘Open Gates’ on Friday mornings so if you know of any families who may be interested in seeing what Gateways has to offer, please do encourage them to attend.

Tuesday, 15th November was Enterprise Day when pupils from Lower 3 to Upper 4 planned a hypothetical visitor event for Harewood House. Some great ideas and some great glimpses of interaction and integration between girls of different years.

Fund Raising for the School Charity, ‘Cam Kids’, continued yesterday with Gateways hosting a Million Pound Drop evening! The event was based on the popular television show, with teams from Prep, High School and staff testing their knowledge. We note that our Sixth Form need to brush up on their geography!

The Great History Debate continues a pace and Gateways hosted the regional heat on the 15th November with tough competition from local independent and maintained sector schools. The judges were Alan Pease, Andrew Hamilton and Mike Baldock from the Bardsey Debating Society. Gateways Sixth Form Students, Pippa Webster and Bryonie Wood, were awarded second and third places respectively ~ well done!

We are looking forward to the High School production of ‘A Christmas Carol’ on the 7th December. Rehearsals are in full swing and, from what I have seen and heard, it promises to be an excellent event!

This year, our Carol Service is returning to All Saints Church on the Harewood Estate. We warmly invite parents to join the School on Wednesday 14th December at 2.00pm. This is a wonderful way to celebrate the Christmas season together.

An insight into A Level study and Sixth Form lessons was provided to parents at our recent Sixth Form Discovery. Student presenters spoke well about the benefits of Gatewaqys education and pupils and parents enjoyed their ‘tasters’ of Economics, Media Studies, Psychology and Biology. Brian’s afternoon tea and cakes were pretty good, too! Our next Sixth Form event is our Information Evening on Thursday 9th February 2011.

Please do come along and support the Christmas Fayre tomorrow, 11.00am to 2.00pm. I am sure, as ever, that it will be a merry event!

I shall be out of School attending the Head’s of GSA Schools’ annual conference next Monday to Wednesday.

Yours sincerely

Mrs Y Wilkinson
Headmistress

Headmistress's Blog 18 November 2011

Dear Parents

I do hope you enjoyed a good half term break with your family. In the past two weeks, the School has been a hive of activity; pupils continue to work hard in their lessons and preparations are well underway for the High School Production and the Prep Christmas performances.

Today we held our GCSE Presentation Assembly, with Mr Martin Shaw, Chairman of Governors, in attendance to present the girls with their certificates. It is always a very proud moment to see the girls recognised publicly for all the hard work and effort they put into their examinations; the younger girls find it aspirational too. This year we also presented certificates to the girls who took their Religious Studies GCSE one year early.

The latest in our programme of Master Classes took place on the 9th November; the theme was promoting locally produced or sourced food. We welcomed Mark Paine, the master baker at Betty’s, to demonstrate different ways to produce and shape bread. Pupils from Collingham School joined our Lower 3 pupils and they had a very interesting day culminating in some very creative loaves!

Over half term I had the great pleasure of reading the draft of our book ‘Gateways to Harewood’. This has been a very exciting project, written by the pupils and is being professionally published as the culmination of over a year’s hard work. We will be launching the book on the 25th November at 2.00pm and we warmly invite parents to join us for this occasion. The well known local author, G.P. Taylor has written a story especially for the book and will read it to us as part of our assembly. We are delighted that Patricia, Countess of Harewood, will be saying a few words and then switching on the lights in one of our trees in celebration. Our thanks go to Mrs Sharrock, Mrs Stubbs and Mrs Burns for their tremendous commitment to this unique project.

Offering an opportunity to gain some useful skills, Upper 4 pupils are kindly supporting our reception staff over the lunch periods on Thursdays and Fridays.

On the 8th November, we held a taster day for pupils wishing to join the High School next September. In the lead up to the Entrance Examination in January, we welcomed 16 girls for an exciting day experiencing life at Gateways. We continue our programme of ‘Open Gates’ on Friday mornings so if you know of any families who may be interested in seeing what Gateways has to offer, please do encourage them to attend.

Tuesday, 15th November was Enterprise Day when pupils from Lower 3 to Upper 4 planned a hypothetical visitor event for Harewood House. Some great ideas and some great glimpses of interaction and integration between girls of different years.

Fund Raising for the School Charity, ‘Cam Kids’, continued yesterday with Gateways hosting a Million Pound Drop evening! The event was based on the popular television show, with teams from Prep, High School and staff testing their knowledge. We note that our Sixth Form need to brush up on their geography!

The Great History Debate continues a pace and Gateways hosted the regional heat on the 15th November with tough competition from local independent and maintained sector schools. The judges were Alan Pease, Andrew Hamilton and Mike Baldock from the Bardsey Debating Society. Gateways Sixth Form Students, Pippa Webster and Bryonie Wood, were awarded second and third places respectively ~ well done!

We are looking forward to the High School production of ‘A Christmas Carol’ on the 7th December. Rehearsals are in full swing and, from what I have seen and heard, it promises to be an excellent event!

This year, our Carol Service is returning to All Saints Church on the Harewood Estate. We warmly invite parents to join the School on Wednesday 14th December at 2.00pm. This is a wonderful way to celebrate the Christmas season together.

An insight into A Level study and Sixth Form lessons was provided to parents at our recent Sixth Form Discovery. Student presenters spoke well about the benefits of Gatewaqys education and pupils and parents enjoyed their ‘tasters’ of Economics, Media Studies, Psychology and Biology. Brian’s afternoon tea and cakes were pretty good, too! Our next Sixth Form event is our Information Evening on Thursday 9th February 2011.

Please do come along and support the Christmas Fayre tomorrow, 11.00am to 2.00pm. I am sure, as ever, that it will be a merry event!

I shall be out of School attending the Head’s of GSA Schools’ annual conference next Monday to Wednesday.

Yours sincerely

Mrs Y Wilkinson
Headmistress